rooks



(NoAModeel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. N. BOOKS. BUGGY P0P SUPPORT.

No. 528,032. Patented voct. 2s, 1894.

` No Model.) zsheets-sheet 2.

' A. N. BOOKS.

BUGGY TOP SUPPORT.

No. 528,032. Patented 001;. 2s, 1894.

3% 'wmw UNITED STATES" rPATENT'd OFFICE.

ALVA N. BOOKS, OF IUKA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES H. NEFF, OF` SAME PLACE.

BueGYiToP SUPPORT.V

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No.4 528,032, dated. October 23, 1894. Application led December Z6, 1893. Serial lim/194,746. (N o model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVA N. Rocks, of Iuka, Marion county, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buggy-Bow Braces and Top- Carriers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. f

My invention relates to an improved top prop, and consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and designated in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to construct an improved yielding device that will support the buggy top when in a folded position, and also act as a hook for the lines when the top is open or up.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a buggy and the bows, said bows being in a folded position and one of them having my improved prop applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective of a portion of one of the bows, showing the manner in which theV prop is connected thereto. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of a guide and stop which is made use ofin carrying out my invention. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of a buggy the top being in an open position, and showing the manner in which the lines may be hooked upon the prop when in such position.

The numerall indicates a portionof a buggy of ordinary construction having a top 2 connected to said buggy in the usual manner, which is also of the ordinary construction.

3 indicates the top prop, which is composed of a strip of spring metal 4 bent substantially in the form of the letter 8, the curve at one end being larger than at its opposite end, and the spring is heavier at this point. The adjacent end of the spring is connected to the bow 5 at the top 2 bya clamp 6. f This clamp is constructed of a casting 7 being of suitable length and about the same width as the bow is in diameter, and a depression is formed in one side of said casting, so that it will conform with the bow. Formed on each edge of said casting, adjacent each cornerthereof, is

a perforated ear 8, which projects above the flat surface of said ,casting about the same distance as the thickness of the spring 4.

The spring4of the top prop 3 is connected 55 to the bow 5 by the casting? being placed on said bow and the adjacent' end of said spring i placed ou the casting between the perforated ears 8, and a clasp, such as 9,/is placed around the bow adjacent each end of the casting and 6o the screw-threaded ends of said clasp are Vpassed through the perforated ears; said perforations being located adjacent the edges of the casting so that when a nut 10 is placed upon the screw-threadedends of the clasp, the edges of the nut will project over onto the spring 4 and engage said spring and hold it in the required position.

The free end of the spring 4 is bent-from the bow 5 and forms a hook 1l thereon,so that 7o when the top is raised the lines can be placed thereon to prevent them from dropping out of the buggy when not in thehands of the driver. The free end of the hook 1l is bent ou'tward a suitable distance from said hook, 75 so that when the buggy top is down, said free end will engage the prop-bolt 12. (See Fig.

l for illustration.) The hook 1l is of such a length that when its free end engages the propbolt it will also form a spring. i 30 `13 indicates'a guide, which is formed of a piece of sheet metal and bent substantially U shaped. This guide is placed on and clamped to the bow 5 of the top 2 in such a position that the free end of the spring 4 can 85 pass between the parallel ends of said guide. (See Fig. l for illustration.) The guide is clamped to the bow 5 by a screw or bolt 14 being passed through suitable apertures in each side of said guide, so that when said 9o screw or bolt is drawn up it will canse the adjacent sides of said guide to engage and clamp the bow 5, thus holding said guide in the required position.

A cushion 15, preferably made of rubber, is placed on the bolt or screw 14, and said bolt is in such a position that thel cushion 15 will be adjacent the bow 5.

Located between the ends of the strip of metal of which the guide 13 is formed, is a roo cushion 16, preferably made of rubber, which is held in position by a bolt or screw 17 passin g through suitable apertures formed in said strip and through the cushion.

The cushions 15 and 16, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3,are round in end elevation, but 5 they can be made in any desired shape Without altering materially my invention.

When the top is up, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the hook 11 of the prop 3 can be conveniently used for supporting the lines and pre- Io vent said lines from dropping out of the buggy after the driver has alighted.

When the top is down in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the free end of the hook 11 will engage the prop-bolt 12, which will cause 15 said top to be supported by the spring 4, which forms part of the prop 3. The spring 4 is of such strength that it will support the weight of the top and vgive when a sudden jar comes upon the top and take the recoil from the zo buggy. The hook 11 also forms a spring, which will give when the jar is great enough t0 cause the cushion 15, carried by the guide 13, to come in contact with the upper side of said hook, and the cushions 15 and 16 are to prevent noise and rattling of the prop when the jar or recoil is great enough to bring said cushions in contact with the spring 4.

The combination, in an improved buggy top 3o support, of a buggy bow, a casting 7 having a coucaved face to engage the buggy bow, perforated ears 8 formed on and projecting laterally one from each corner of said casting and on the face thereof opposite said concaved face, said ears being elevated the thickness of a spring above the adjacent face of the casting and forming a depression or seat in said face of a depth equal to the thicknessv of a spring, a prop-bolt, a spring 4 having one end portion xed in said depression between said ears, the outer face of said end portion of said spring being flush with the outer faces of the said ears, clasps 9 adapted for engageinentwith the buggy bow and having threaded ends passed through said ears, and nuts 10 mounted upon said clasps with their edges only projecting over and contacting directly with the outer face of the said end portion of the flat spring, whereby the saidV spring and casting may be separated without removing said nuts from said clasps, and the said casting is rigidly connected to the buggy bow, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVA N. BOOKS.

Witnesses:

GRANT NICHOLSON, O. I. RooKs. 

